WeTried Translations

Translator: Dawn

Editor: Dawn

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Genius Knight of a Fallen Race

Chapter 13

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Do Not Look Up.

“Trolls won’t do!”

At Poirve’s words, Roden was the first to step forward in protest.

“Shan is a more talented warrior than anyone, but he still doesn’t know how to handle Spirit. His equipment is also terrible.”

Outstanding reflexes and bodily control were abilities that helped more than anything in becoming a knight, but when it came to hunting large monsters, the compatibility was poor. What was needed against those kinds of creatures was good weapons, great strength, and abundant Spirit.

Unfortunately, Shan possessed none of those three qualities at the moment. Shan placed a hand on Roden’s shoulder to stop him as he tried to add more, and answered Poirve.

“I’ve heard about them. They often get hunted in old knights’ tales...”

“There’s a reason they appear so often. Trolls are monsters that kill many knights just as much as they are killed by them. Among them, inexperienced knights are especially at risk.”

A troll’s height varied by individual, but even the smallest easily exceeded two and a half meters. With that size, their entire bodies were wrapped in thick muscle, fat, and dense, tough fur. Their strength and defense were beyond comparison with humans.

On top of that, even if they were somehow injured, they possessed a magical super-regeneration ability that could heal minor wounds simply by taking a few breaths, making them truly formidable opponents.

“If I go hunting, will I be alone?” After listening quietly to Poirve’s explanation, Shan calmly asked back.

“Of course not. We already have fifteen people prepared. They’ve all proven their abilities to some extent, and among them are even two formally appointed knights.”

One of the representative ways for a knight to prove their skill was precisely monster hunting. If there were no war and no prey within their lord’s territory, some knights would wander to other regions in search of quarry. Both knights participating this time were of that kind.

“So you’re saying you’ll include me in that?”

“Yes. The departure is scheduled for two days from now, and I can probably add one more person if I put in some effort.”

This meant Roden could not accompany them. Shan, who had been listening quietly, turned his head to ask his companion’s opinion.

“What do you think, Roden?”

“Well,” Roden, speaking as if tossing it out, stroked his beard and groaned as he thought. “To be honest, I’m still a bit worried... but if you’re not going alone, it might not be a bad idea.”

The force Poirve described seemed sufficient to hunt a troll. Hunting as a group would not have a major negative impact on their original goal. To begin with, troll hunting was something even knights rarely did alone, and for a teenage boy, simply participating and fulfilling one person’s role would already prove his talent. 

Of course, it would be a problem if he only lingered in the back without actively participating, but Roden didn’t even consider that possibility. However, his concern now shifted in another direction.

“But even if it’s you, Uncle, can you really put Shan into the squad? Normally, they wouldn’t include a kid under fifteen.”

There was a reason why hundreds of soldiers swarmed in for troll hunts. Because the cost would be too great, and if too many people moved, the troll would sense the threat and not reveal itself easily. As such, if they were to include a boy who would not count as proper combat strength by normal standards, there had to be a justification.

“It’s simple. I heard that Shan can see at night as if it were daytime, so we can assign him the role of a scout.”

“Aha!”

Considering that trolls moved regardless of day or night and lived in deep caves, it was certainly a necessary ability. Hearing that, even Roden thought that anyone would want to bring someone with such an ability, even if he was a young Alto. No matter how skilled a knight was, getting hit by a troll’s club in pitch-black darkness would not end well.

“Then you can go for experience. Just getting your name on a troll hunt will build your record... though it’s a bit unsettling that I can’t go with you.”

“Can I be honest?”

“Go ahead.”

“Out of everything, going to hunt trolls is actually more unsettling if you come along, Roden.”

No matter how big and strong Roden looked, he was still within human limits. Since he couldn’t block attacks by channeling Spirit into a shield like seasoned knights, a single mistake could get him turned into a bloody pulp by a troll’s club. His reflexes and agility, no matter how generously described, were around average. At Shan’s words, Roden groaned but couldn’t really refute it.

“Well, that’s true... alright, give it a try!”

Once all the discussion ended, Poirve left the two guests in the mansion and headed outside. Since he had to add someone to the troll expedition departing in two days, he needed to consult the city's influential figures as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Shan received a special lecture from Roden about troll hunting.

Having once trained intensely to become a knight, Roden himself knew quite a bit to teach. When he asked the servants of the mansion, they even brought several books about trolls from Poirve’s study. Of course, since Shan couldn’t read, Roden read everything aloud for him.

“Alright, a troll’s weakness... their fur is soaked in oil, so it catches fire easily, and if they get burned, they can’t regenerate well.”

“So if you set them on fire, that’s the end.”

“That’s right. But another book says the opposite. It says lighting fires or carrying torches around trolls is taboo.”

“Why?”

“They run away the moment they see it and start throwing rocks.”

Trolls were masters of stone-throwing. They could hit targets from about a hundred meters away if they put their mind to it. On top of that, since they were large and strong, the stones they threw were bigger than a person’s head. 

Naturally, anyone hit by the stone would be at least crippled, if not killed instantly. The only reason they didn’t usually use that method was that they enjoyed the sensation of smashing people with clubs or tearing them apart with their bare hands.

“So fire is their weakness, but you can’t really use it.”

“Right. If you carry fire, they’ll never close the distance, and they won’t give you time to spark a fire right in front of them either. But not everything in books is true, so it’s best to judge based on the situation.”

There were also methods like magical weapons that weakened their regeneration ability or alchemical poisons effective against trolls, but neither was something they could use. To obtain such items, one would have to go to the kingdom’s capital or a similarly large city.

“This is probably the most useful one. Here,” Roden said, as he tapped his temple with his index finger. “No matter where else you injure them, given time and enough food, they regenerate. However, you can kill them for sure by destroying the brain. It’s a weak point for other creatures too, but for trolls, it’s especially significant.”

Poirve returned from finishing his discussion at the city hall around the time dinner ended that evening. Even though not much time had passed, his face was clearly tired.

“The arrangements have been made. You will depart in two days, in the morning, from the east gate.”

“Thank you.”

“No, not at all. If anything, I feel sorry that I couldn’t secure a proper share of the spoils for you.”

Unlike the other warriors participating in the expedition, Shan was not promised a large share of the troll’s corpse. His role was merely to keep watch for trolls approaching at night or to locate those hiding in caves. Of course, even that small share would be an astonishing amount that would make an ordinary person’s eyes pop out.

“Don’t overexert yourself. This troll hunt is, above all, meant as an experience.”

Even if one wasn’t part of the main force, there was a world of difference between those who had experienced hunting a large monster and those who had not. Especially for those encountering one for the first time, many would freeze from the pressure emitted by a creature far larger than themselves. Having a participation history in someone’s resume would boost that person’s value for that reason alone.

“Then, until departure, please stay comfortably in this house, though it may be shabby.”

Contrary to Poirve’s words, his house was as luxurious to Shan as a goddess’s palace. There was a study filled with expensive books he had visited to study trolls, a marble bath, and a bedroom with a bed stuffed full of wool and blankets and pillows filled with goose feathers. When Shan asked whether all merchants were this rich and whether nobles were even more impressive than this, Roden shook his head.

“Among the merchants in this country, jewelers are the richest and most powerful. Because they deal with mana stones.”

Mana stones were, after all, the specialty product of Pendia, which stood beside the Demon Realm. There was a reason why Roden’s father, who ran the largest jewelry shop, was the head of the capital’s merchant guild. Even so, he still could not surpass the stronghold of the noble and knightly classes.

The next day, together with Roden and Poirve, they toured the shops within the city and purchased items that might help in the troll hunt. They purchased a harpoon that was hard to pull out once embedded, an upper-body leather armor that fit reasonably well if not perfectly, and spears and arrows made of high-quality steel. 

Lastly, they even bought a usable black horse. It wasn’t quite enough to be called a knight’s warhorse, but it was of a similar grade to what mercenary cavalry used. This part was too much for Roden to cover with his own money, so they borrowed money from Poirve.

“This is a horse raised from a young age to smell monsters up close. Because of that, it’s grown bold and doesn’t get frightened easily.”

It was hard to tell if the horse merchant’s words were true, but at a glance, this one had a much better build and more muscle compared to the one Shan used to ride. Its stamina might be a bit lacking, but it would certainly be stronger and faster. For a traveler or laborer’s horse, that might not matter, but for a knight’s mount, those traits were superior.

Only after a long bargaining with the owner did Roden finally sell Shan’s skinny gray horse and buy the black one. Shan followed him and learned many things, but skills like that seemed impossible for him to learn. Once the negotiation ended, Poirve, who had been quietly watching from behind, spoke with a satisfied expression.

“As expected, young master, you were born to be a merchant.”

“I don’t want to admit it, though,” Roden laughed with a slightly bitter expression.

Poirve and the other executives of the jeweler’s guild had long wanted to raise him as a merchant. After buying the horse, they headed to a nearby gate and went outside the city. This was to get used to handling the new horse and to let the horse adapt to its owner. Marching was also a kind of combat, and one couldn’t afford to wander off freely while moving with others.

“How is it?”

“Hmm, not bad. Actually, it’s pretty great,” Shan nodded in satisfaction at Roden’s question.

The new horse was a bit less delicate than the previous one, but it was clearly stronger and faster.

“Not going to give it a name this time either?”

“I don’t want to get attached. You never know when it’ll die.”

In battle, horses were extremely easy targets for the enemy. Having experienced this firsthand in the recent fight with mercenary cavalry, Shan didn’t want to become overly attached to a horse. The more attached he became, the greater the loss would feel when he lost it.

After a while, Shan rode around as he used to when he played alone in the forest, swinging the various weapons he carried through the air. Each time, his posture subtly adjusted to match the different speed and height compared to his previous horse. Finally, he finished by shooting arrows while mounted, planting them in a straight line into a tree sixty meters away. That evening, during dinner, Poirve brought up what he had seen and burst into hearty laughter.

“You suddenly spun your body and threw the harpoon. It was truly astonishing! I hope you achieve great results in the troll hunt as well. Though calmness is a merchant’s virtue, in situations like this, it’s hard to remain composed...”

“What situation are you talking about?”

“The situation of witnessing the awakening of a young hero!” Poirve replied with an excited expression at Shan’s question.

He had already decided to include Shan in the troll hunt and even lent him money based only on Roden’s words, but he seemed to have finally become convinced of Shan’s potential after watching the training outside the city earlier that day. Perhaps from sipping wine, the middle-aged merchant’s face had turned quite flushed.

“I truly can’t believe you’ve received no formal training until now. Would it be too much to call you the reincarnation of Emperor Varen...”

Emperor Varen was the founder of the ancient Arman Empire and the first holy knight of the goddess faith—essentially a figure akin to myth. If a cleric of the Old Faith heard an Alto like Shan being compared to him, they would probably storm in and try to behead the speaker immediately.

“Come to think of it, Roden compared me to that person before, too.”

Ignorant of history, Shan only knew that the man was considered the greatest and most powerful knight. Indeed, if a single person built a great empire spanning the entire western continent through sheer strength, there was no way he wouldn’t be strong. Imagining himself becoming as great a knight as Emperor Varen, Shan let out a small laugh. They say it’s good to dream big, but that seemed a bit too unrealistic. People don’t usually dream of becoming kings or gods.

***

On the day of departure, Shan checked all his equipment and emergency rations perfectly with Roden’s help, then headed to the east gate. Because he left fairly early, there were only three or four warriors who arrived ahead of him. One of them frowned upon seeing Shan.

“Who’s this brat? And he’s even riding a horse...”

“That kid must be the Alto they mentioned before. I heard he was born with unusual eyes and can see extremely well at night.”

As if Shan’s story had spread, another warrior said while looking at him with curiosity. In response, Shan pulled his hood down deeply to reveal his glowing eyes.

“Oh...”

“Damn it, put those creepy eyes away!”

Looking closer, the man who started the trouble seemed to dislike him from the beginning. Judging by the hostility toward Altos, he might be a follower of the Old Faith. Shan did not respond to him or harm him with a sword. It was thanks to Roden’s steady teaching that reacting to every insult would prevent him from achieving his dreams, and that restraint was necessary. Instead, someone else flared up.

“Hey, what did you just say?”

“What did I say?”

“If you say something like that one more time, I’ll kill you.”

As a middle-aged swordsman with a scarred face stepped forward, his fierce presence made the one who had started the trouble flinch and step back. Looking closely, the middle-aged swordsman also had one arm that was somewhat larger and thicker, suggesting he, too, was an Alto.

The atmosphere grew quiet, almost oppressive. Fortunately, more warriors gathered one by one before long, and the conversations resumed. After some time, just as the sun rose brightly, two knights appeared.

“Why are there so many people gathered here?”

“I told them a guide would be enough, but they didn’t listen...”

The two knights, clad in plate armor and mounted on warhorses, lifted their visors, revealing youthful faces. Both looked to be around twenty to twenty-five years old. As befitted those who swore never to kneel except before gods and lords, their expressions were arrogant and proud.

Watching them grumble, Shan slightly frowned. Unlike Fional, he had seen last time, they seemed to lack experience or pressure. Even their squires were, of course, much younger than the knights. Perhaps around thirteen or fourteen, like Shan himself.

It was ironic for him to say, but they were at an age better suited for errands than for being combatants. Once everyone had gathered, a city representative checked the numbers and declared the subjugation.

“Alright!”

“Let’s go!”

The states of those gathered for the subjugation varied widely. About a third were filled with excitement and anticipation, a third were tense with fear and worry, and a third appeared indifferent. 

From Shan’s perspective, the knights tried not to show it, but they seemed somewhere between the first and second groups. It seemed they, too, were not accustomed to hunting large monsters. Poirve’s words that inexperienced knights often died to trolls kept nagging at him.

“Then I’ll lead from the front to guide us to the area where it appeared...”

The one leading was a hunter who had first spotted the troll and had spent many years in this region. Even in Libert, hunters faced dangerous work against beasts and bandits, but here in Pendia, it was on a different level. In this land swarming with monsters, a skilled hunter was respected just below knights, so all the other warriors showed him proper respect.

The expedition left the city and smoothly followed the northern road. Even the ferocious monsters that attacked without caring about numbers seemed to keep their distance, perhaps because of the two knights in plate armor. Riding at the very rear of the formation, Shan noticed that the Alto warrior who had shouted earlier was approaching him. The man glanced up at Shan and spoke first.

“I’m Kob.”

“I’m Shan.”

“I heard you were brought along because of your bright eyes, but for that, you’re quite well equipped. And you’ve got a good horse too.”

“Is that how the story spread? I came of my own will.”

When Shan said he had confidence in his combat abilities, Kob made an incredulous expression, then lowered his head. He seemed to be trying to suppress laughter.

“Good, then. If it looks dangerous, stick close to me. We Altos should help each other.”

Shan, who felt the same way, nodded immediately. He, too, still carried memories of the Alto troupe, so if given the chance, he wanted to save his own kind before others. 

The expedition, which had set out early in the morning, rested on the road to eat lunch before entering the western forest. According to the briefing, this was the area where the troll had appeared. They could encounter it at any moment. However, this might take longer if the trolls intentionally avoid them. Upon entering the forest, the two knights and their squires dismounted.

“From here on, we have to walk.”

“No choice.”

If heavily armored knights rode through a forest filled with roots, there was a risk of injuring the horses. Like them, Shan and the other mounted warriors also dismounted and took hold of their reins. After about an hour of searching the forest, the hunter found something, gathered everyone, and pointed to the ground.

“Troll dung.”

“It smells awful...”

“I’ve heard experienced hunters can learn a lot from this. What information do we have?”

“If it were prey I frequently encounter, I could tell you, but unfortunately, I have almost no experience with trolls. They’re rare prey,” the hunter replied politely at the knight’s question.

“Hmm...”

“Well, that makes sense.”

Even in monster-filled Pendia, large monsters like trolls appeared only a few times a year. Unless one came from the Demon Realm, literally swarming with monsters, it was difficult for a Western hunter to have that level of knowledge.

“However, one thing is certain—it hasn’t been long since it defecated. Unless troll dung cools slowly.”

“I see!”

“Everyone, stay alert!”

At the knight’s command, the warriors’ gazes turned in all directions. Thinking the troll was nearby, even those who had been bold until moments ago now showed tension on their faces. Shan, among them, steadied his breathing and sharpened his senses.

Where could it be?

The horse beside him, whose reins he held, was somewhat distracting, but he felt his perception gradually expand as he focused. The surrounding noise quieted, and his fully opened pupils absorbed all available light, analyzing visual information. As he carefully observed his surroundings, Shan’s eyes detected a strange sense of incongruity.

What is that?

The shape of a tree right beside a spearman who was casually looking around seemed oddly off. Unlike the others, it didn’t grow straight but was slightly bent to the side, as if something incredibly heavy were hanging from it.

“Hey, blond man!”

“Hm?” 

At Shan’s call, the spearman made a puzzled expression. Shan spoke as calmly as possible, as if having an ordinary conversation, so that whatever might be above wouldn’t become suspicious.

“Slowly walk over here.”

“Why?”

“So... just don’t look up, no matter what.”

Though Shan didn’t know it, telling someone not to do something often meant the same as telling them to do it. Hearing those words, the blond spearman unconsciously looked up—and his eyes met those of a creature with eyeballs larger than a human fist.

Before the man could even finish his words, a heavy thud rang out as the hairy monster landed on the ground. Something that had been a person just moments ago was crushed with a sickening crack beneath a massive wooden club.